Family Matters

Lindsay Fox describes his life as a fairy tale, but there's one part that's more like a nightmare: In 1991 his son Michael, 24, committed suicide. It's a tragedy that has had a lasting effect on the way the family runs their Linfox trucking empire. "Our family lost a child," Fox says quietly. "That brings out an inner strength in the others to make everything okay."

The close-knit clan lives in mansions within half a mile of each other in Toorak, Melbourne's most exclusive suburb. They holiday together two or three times a year. Last year the 25 children, spouses and grandchildren took a trip to Europe; this year it's a holiday in Fiji, plus a week or so at the family's homes in Hawaii and Portsea. Fox speaks to his five remaining kids every day.

During an interview at Fox's office, where three of his children share an adjoining L-shape space, he takes a call from son Andrew, who quickly shifts business talk to personal matters. "Did you have a walk this morning?" he quizzes his portly father, who once played ice hockey for Australia in international competition and also played top-level Australian Rules Football. "No, I was waiting for you," shoots back Lindsay, who has lost ten pounds but concedes he has more to go.

The weight loss and daily walking program for Dad was decided at one of their quarterly family meetings (Fox blood only, no spouses), begun by Michael two years before he died. "Family is above everything else," Fox says, dismissing his many houses, helicopter and classic car collection. "The trappings of life are things that can come or go."